NATIONAL & WORLD LEADERS

Local legend has it that the Atlantic Ocean begins here, where the Ashley and Cooper rivers come together to form Charleston harbor, overlooked by a city skyline dotted with church steeples and stately old homes.

NOAA is expected to announce that 2012 marked the warmest year in the contiuous U.S. since record keeping began more than a century ago. But record heat was just one hallmark of the year we just wrapped up.